Making polysulfonamides from bissulfonyl chloride and diamine salt in presence of water and waterimmiscible solvent



Patented Jan. 26,1954

IN, PRESENCE OF WATER 'AND WATER- IMMISCIBLE SOLVENT Wilford Donald J ones and Samuel llfIcFarlane, Summit, N. J assignors to (lelanese corpora tion of America, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing.w Application August 31,1950,-

Scrial No. 182,616

., 8 Claims.

- I L vent-h This invention relates to the production of linear polysulfohamides and relates more particularly to a novel proces for the productio n of linear filament-forming polysulfonainides by the reaction of a polyaniine and a bis sulfonyl chloride.

An obje'ctof this invention is the proyision of an improved process for the production of linear poly'sulfonamides. V 7. Another object of this invention is theproduction of linear polysulfonamides which are adapted to form ,fiiaiiieiitary inaterialsi and hich are capable of being r'nol'dd when subjected to suitable shaping operations, V U o A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved process for the oiridation of aliphatic dithiols to thegcorrspon ding aliphatic disulfonic acids from which disulfonic acids the bis-'sulfonyl chloridcs may be obtained.

Other objects of this invention Will appear from the following detailed description.

Numerous attempts have been made to prepare linear filament forinin'g pmysuuqmm as by reacting a diamine with a bisi sulfonyl chloride under various polymer-f rming reaction conditions; As far as is known, these attempts have been unsuccessfuland unmodified polysulfonamides having filament forrliing properties have not been obtained. M 7

We have now found. that polysulfonamides having filament-forming properties and capable of being molded by suitable shaping operations may be obtained by the reaction of a diamine with a bis su'lfonyl chloride wherein the reaction me 'dium employed comprises a mixture of said polymer-forming reactants, the diamine being employed in aqueous solution and the bis sulfonyl chloride in solution in a Water-immiscible organic solvent. Most advantageously, the desired polymerization reaction is efiected by dissolving an acid salt of the diainine in water, adding a solution of the bi's'Q'SlilfbnYl emon i in an inert, water-immiscible organic solvent tothe aqueous amine solution with strong agitation, and then forming an emmsio of said solutions by continuingthe stirring while adding a suitable emulsifying agent. With continued stirring, the amine acid salt is then neutralized by slowly adding an alkaline neutralizing agent to the emulsion. The release of the free amine in this manner, enables the latter to react immediately Withthe bissulfonyl chloride and to] form the desired polysu rph' mma I V on of the' allialine neu tr uma m an m g; nt -mam ,1 27a least sufficient'to'neutraliz'e all or the'a r riine acid 2 salt has been added and all ofthe a r ine been ti d? l ieilab ,ie rqe t on St ne} a hi aqueous an'line solution and bis sulior iyl chloride solution are mneomeemt tenlperature of about Oto 20 'C/ before being mixed, and While being reacted, the temperature of the mixture; is preferably maintained at froizi' iii about 5 C. I v. y M41 L, The aqueous 's'o'mtron o'f'diam anemia preferably contains from 0.1 to LU in'o'l of the diaminejper liter, of fsoliition. While th at se e or ic f blv it i m w h sulfonyl mmmes'hogra panangrgrereig y', iro m 0.1 to 1.0 mm or the bi's -sulfonylfchl ea h i tei of t 1 mi lo' I q w rmm bl or aimisolvenisgw a mem employed for dissolvingthe bi'sfsulforiyl chloride,

there may be inention e'dbenz'ene', t xylene. The mineral spirits or W d r fi i s fl affi s 5 1 1v w 'sold under the narri'e ffyarsolfi are a A V able. Preferably, how "e .we employ toluene, sineeoptimum results are obtained by the use e t t t During the einulsion polymeriz gation;reaction whereby the poly sul'fonamides areobtained hy= drochloric acid formed asaby-product and the alkaline neutralizing agent .s actslas an acid binding agent. l e ferably the alkaline neutralizing agent is added in eg icess so thatitnot only acts to release the diarnine for polymerization but it will also be present in an amount sufficient to neutralize coinpletelyall of the by-product hydrochloric acid which is formed during the polynieriaation An egrcess of-up to about 5%, may be ernployed satisfactorily. Ex,-

amples of alkaline neutralizing agents which, we

may employ are t sodiurn carbonate, ;disodium phosphate, sodium hydroxide and, triso'diurii phosphate; Excess di'aniine may also be employed as the acid binding agent. v Y Emulsifying' agents of different types. may be employed in emulsifying the aqueous ,solutionioi amine, acid salt nd the organic solution (of the bis-sulfonyl chloride Among the suitable emul sifyingagents which may be employedtheremay be Vrnentioned long chain al co h0l sulfates suchas'sodiiim lauryl sulfate or sodium oleyl sulfate,

ethylene oxide condensates with long chain fatty alcohols, esters of sodium sulfosuccinic acid, e. g. the dioctyl ester, long chain fatty acid esters of polyethylene glycol, ethylene oxide condensates with castor oil, long chain monoglycerides, alkyl aryl polyether alcohols, i. e. the reaction product of ethylene oxide and xylenol, sorbitan monolaurate or the condensation product of sorbitan monolaurate with ethylene oxide, monoor polyalkyl naphthalene sulfonates, sulfates of fatty acid mono-glycerides or the glycol esters of long chain fatty acids. Emulsifying agents of the class of sodium-N-substituted-fi-amino-ethane sulfonates are particularly suitable in the production of polysulfonamides in acordance with our novel process. For the production of polymers of good color, it is important that the emulsifying agent be as free as possible of colored bodies as the polymer tends to scavenge colored bodies from the emulsifying agent and the reaction mixture. 7

Optimum results are obtained when the emulsifying agent is employed in an amount of from 0.1 to 1.0% based on the weight of water.

Examples of amines which may be employed in forming polysulfonamides in accordance with the novel emulsion polymerization process of our invention are diamines such as ethylene diamine, trimethylene diamine, tetramethylene diamine, pentamethylene diamine, hexamethylene diamine, ortho-, metaor para-phenylene diamine, cyclohexylene diamine, nuclearly substitutedphenylenediamines and nuclearly substituted cyclohexylenediamines. N-alkyl-substituted diamines which contain a free amino hydrogen are also suitable.

Other diamines which may also be employed are, for example, a,m-alkane-bis-(w-amino alkyl) ethers, such as lA-tetramethylene-bis-( -amino propyl) ether, bis-(w-amino-alkyl) ethers such as 3,3 diamino-di-propyl-ether, 4,4-diamino-dicyclohexyl methane, bis-(w-amino-alkyl) sulfides such as bis-(2-amino-ethyl)-sulfide, 1,2-, 1,3- or l,4-a,a-diamino xylene or other w,w-diamino dialky1 benzene, diamino-naphthalene, diaminobiphenyl, w,w'-diamino dialkyl biphenyls, w-amino alkyl anilines, w-amino-alkyl cyclohexylamines, bis-(w-amino-alkoxy) benzene, bis-(wamino alkoxy) cyclohexane, 4,4'-diamino-dicyclohexyl sulfones, w,w-sulfonyl-bis-alkyl amines, diamino diphenyl sulfones, diamino benzophenones and N,N'-bis(w-amino-alkyl)-a,w-alkane disulfonamides. Amines containing both primary and secondary amino groups such as diethylene triamine or triethylene tetramine, for example, yield branch chain polysulfonamides. Such polymers, if they contain moderately branched chains, are of relatively low melting point. If the chains are highly branched the polymers approach and may even reach substantial infusibility.

The bis-sulfonyl chlorides which we employ in the production of said polysulfonamides may be obtained conveniently by oxidizing a suitable dithiol with hydrogen peroxide to form a disulfonic acid and then reacting'the sodium salt of the disulfonic acid with phosphorus pentachloride. Hydrogen chloride and phosphorus oxychloride are formed as by-products. The hydrogen chloride is first removed by heating the reaction mixture over steam. The phosphorus oxychloride present is then removed by distilling the reaction mixture under reduced pressure. The bis-sulfonyl chloride is separated from the remainder of the reaction mixture by extracting 4 the later with a suitable solvent, such as chloroform. The volume of the chloroform extract obtained is reduced by evaporation and, after the addition of a neutral petroleum fraction, e. g.

octane, the bis-sulfonyl chloride is crystallized from the solvent mixture.

The oxidation of the dithiol to the corresponding disulfonic acid is efiected, as indicated above, employing hydrogen peroxide as the oxidizing agent. Preferably, the hydrogen peroxide is employed in glacial acetic acid solution and the dithiol added to the glacial acetic acid solution of hydrogen peroxide at a rate which enables the temperature of the reaction mixture to be held at from to 115 C. The hydrogen peroxide is added to glacial acetic acid as a 30 to by weight aqueous solution, the amount added being in stoichiometric excess of the amount required to effect the oxidation of the particular dithiol of the desired disulfonic acid. The hydrogen peroxide is employed in an excess of from about 5 to The excess hydrogen peroxide remaining when the oxidation is completed is destroyed. The water and acetic acid are removed by distillation under vacuum and whatever hydrogen peroxide still remains is destroyed with the aid of aqueous iormaldehyde. Further distillation under vacuum removes any remaining volatiles. The disulfonic acidpresent is neutralized by the addition thereto of an alkaline neutralizing agent, such as sodium carbonate, and the solution then evaporated to dryness to recover the disulfonic acid. High yields of the disulfonic acid are obtained by our improved oxidation process. The disulfonic acid may then be readily converted to the bis-sulfonyl chloride by reaction With phosphorus pentachloride.

Examples of bis-sulfonyl chlorides which we may employ are tetramethylene bis-sulfonyl chloride, pentamethylene bis-sulfonyl chloride, ethane-1,2 bis-sulfonyl chloride, methane-1,1- bis sulfonyl chloride, ethane 1,1 bis sulfonyl chloride, propane-1,3-bis-sulfonyl chloride, propane-1,1-bis-sulfonyl chloride, decane-l,10-bissulfonyl chloride, cyclohexane-1,4-(1,3 or -1,2- or 1,1) bis-sulfonyl chloride, pentane-1,5- (1,4; 1,3 or 1,2) bis-sulfonyl chloride, benzene-1,4 (1,2 or 1,3) bis-sulfonyl chloride, diphenyl-4,4-bissulfonyl chloride, toluene-l',1'-bis-sulfonyl chloride, toluene-4,1'-bis-sulfonyl chloride, 3-oxapentane-1,5-bis-sulfonyl chloride 3 thiapentane 1,5 bis sulfonyl chloride, 3,3 dioxo 3 thiapentane 1,5 bis sulfonyl chloride (ClOzS- (CH2) 2-SO2- (CH2) 2-SO2C1) In order further to illustrate our invention but without being limited thereto, the following examples are given:

Eazample I 164 parts by weight of tetramethylene diamine are dissolved in 10,000 parts by weight of Water and the amine is then converted to the acid salt by being neutralized with concentrated hydrochloric acid to the Congo red end point. 500 parts by weight of pentamethylene bis-sulfonyl chloride are dissolved in about 17,500 parts by weight of toluene to form a separate solution. The two solutions are then combined with strong agitation and 13 parts by weight of the sodium salt of N-lauroyl, N-butyl-B-amino-ethane sulfonic acid in 200 parts Water are then added so that an emulsion of the solution is formed. The temperature'of the emulsion is maintained at abdiit' are; To emulsion i s attitudes.

added about 2400 parts by. weight 'of a 3.2N aquone solution of sodium hydroxide. continued during the addition and the rate at which the solutionis added issuch that the ad-.

Stirring is diti on is completed after about hour. Stirring is continued further for an additional 4 hour and, the precipitated polysulfonamide is, then I filtered from solution, The product, comprising polyg- N,N tetramethylenefe 1,5 penta ne bis sulfonamide; is Washed alternately I'With water and acetone employing strong. agitation. The polysulfonamide obtained has a melting point of 150-ltf0 C. and the melt maybe drawn into short fibers.

Example II 164 parts byweightoi tetramethylene diamine are dissolved in 17,000 parts by weight ofwater,

and. neutralized to theCcngo red endpoint with concentrated hydrochloric acid and cooled to 0' C. 500' parts by weight of pentamethylene bise sulf onylachloride are dissolved in about, 9500 parts by. weight of toluene and the two solutions combined with strong agitation while cooling. to .hold the temperature at about 0 C. Tothe mixture is added parts byweight of the sodisulfonic acid in 500 parts by weight of water. and,

with continued stirring, a smooth emulsion isi obtained. About 2406 parts by weight of 3.2N aqueous sodium hydroxide solution are gradually added with stirring while maintaining the temperature at l to .2 C. The pH of the solution rises rapidly from an original value of 4 to a value of over 10. Stirring is continued for about hour after the sodium hydroxide has been added and the polysulfonamide polymer formed,

is filtered off, The polymer comprises poly-N, N.-., tetramethylene 1,5 pentane bis sulfonamide. The polymer is washed with water, then with. acetone and again with water and finally dried...

The polymer melts at 148-163 C. and the melt may be drawn into short fibers.

Example III 328 parts by Weight of tetramethylene diamin e are dissolved 5900 parts by weightof water and Q parts by weight of pentamethylene bissulfonyl chloride are dissolved in 30,009 partsby weight of chloroform. fhe solutions obtained are i long fibers may be drawn from the melt, thefibers exhibiting an appreciable cold draw. The polymer is soluble in concentrated sulfuric acid from which it can be recovered by dilution. The polymer is also soluble in 20% aqueous sodium hydroxide and may be recovered upon acidification of the sodium hydroxide solution.

Example IV The oxidation of the dithiol to the correspond ing disulfonic acid, the intermediate for the preparation of the bis sulfonyl chloride, is effected in the following manner:

205 parts by Weight of aqueous 50% hydrogen peroxide and 205 parts by weight of glacial acetic acid are placed in a reaction vessel and then 34.5 parts by weight of pentamethylene dithiol are slowly added thereto with stirring, while maintaining the reaction mixture at a temperature of 115 C. The hydrogen peroxide is 100 in excess mined.

the addition of. 0.2 part by. weight of platinized charcoal which acts as, aleatalyst f t peroxide decomposition Thesame temperature is maintainedior one hourwith stirring.toccmplete the decomposition of the hydrogen peroxideas far as possible After, removal of thewater and remainingacet acid by'distillation 'under vacuum,

the decompos tion is finally. completed adding 5 parts by weight of aqueous 16% formaldehyde to the mixture Thef distillationto remove Water and other. volatiles iscompleted by distilling at about 25mm. pressure.

The; cqncentrated solution is neutralized with aqueous; u. sodiumcarbonate solution'and then evaporatedto. dryness. The theoretical yield of sodium l',5-pentamethylene disulfonic acid is obmaize v epdiii soeii 'rtg' by 'we ightlofglacial acetic acid are placed in lareactionvessel and parts by weightl'ot 9.0. aqueous hydrogen peroxide are added thereto. 63.2 parts by weight of pentamethylene dithiql are islowly added to the glacial acetic acid solutiohcf hydrogen peroxide over the course of l.5 hours while stirring and cooling ito maintain the reaction temperature below about ll?" Cf. Upon completing the addition of,

he, pept tf yi n dithiolthe reaction mixture is he ate for onej hour over steam. The excess hydrogen peroxide present isdestroyed by heate ing and stirring the reaction. mixture, with 0.5 part is weight of platinized charcoal.., The

struction'of the hydrogen peroxide is eom pleted by adding part by weight. of manganese dioxide and further. heating and stirring for one hour. a The water acetic acid are distilled off at pressurev leaving the desired pentameth'ylene disulfonic acid which is obtained in ayieldo f l iil ojth pry,

The term facidsalt oi tetramethylene diamine as employed intheelaims is to be construed as salt .cftheQdiamine vith an acid in thesaid salt isia'cidic character. It is to behunderstcod. that .theforegoing dele th. e1. igithoutdepartingfro'm the spirit of our sire to secure by Le 1. Process for t amide, which comprises agitating an aqueous solution of an acid salt of tetramethylene diamine and a solution of Dentamethylene bissulfonyl chloride in chloroform, ,said solutions being free from other polymerizable materials, adding an alkaline neutralizing agent to the mixture of said solutions during the agitation thereof to neutralize the tetramethylene diamine and to release the free diamine and separating the polysulfonamide polymer therefrom.

2. Process for the production of poly-N,N- tetramethylene 1,5 pentane bis sulfonamide, Which comprises mixing an aqueous solution of an acid salt of tetramethylene diamine with a solution of pentamethylene bis-sulfonyl i en mer laby w y r v V hat many variations. may be made chloride in a water-immiscible organic solvent, said solutions being free from other polymerizable materials, adding an emulsifying agent and forming an emulsion, adding an alkaline neutralizing agent to the emulsion while agitating to free the tetramethylene diamine, and separating the polysulfonamide formed from the liquid phase. w

3. Process for the production of poly-N,N- tetramethylene 1,5 pentane bis sulfonamide, which comprises mixing an aqueous solution of an acid salt of tetramethylen diamine with a solution of pentamethylene bis-sulfonyl chloride in toluene, said solution being free from other polymerizable materials, adding an emulsifying agent and forming an emulsion, adding an alkaline neutralizing agent to the emulsion while agitating to free the tetramethylene diamine, and separating the polysulfonamide formed from the liquid phase.

4. Process for the production of poly-N,N- 'tetramethylene 1,5 pentane bis sulfonamide, which comprises mixing an aqueous solution of an acid salt of tetramethylene dia'mine with a solution of pentamethylene bis-sulfonyl chloride in toluene, said solutions being free from other polymerizable materials, adding an emulsifying agent and forming an emulsion, adding an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide to the emulsion While agitating to free the tetrarnethylene diamine, and separating the polysulfonamide formed from the liquid phase.

5. Process for the production of poly-N,N- tetramethylene 1,5 pentane bis sulfonamides, which comprises mixing an aqueous solution of an acid salt of tetramethylene diamine with a solution of pentamethylene bis-sulfonyl chloride in toluene, adding an emulsifying agent comprising the sodium salt of N-lauroyl, N-butylfi-arnino-ethane sulfonic acid and forming an emulsion, adding an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide to the emulsion while agitating to free the tetramethylene diamine, and separating the polysulfonamide formed from the liquid phase.

5. Frocess for the production of polysulfonamides, which comprises agitating an aqueous solution of an acid salt of a diamine, containing free amino hydrogen on each of the amino nitrogens and having not less than two carbon atoms in a chain separating the amino nitrogens, with a solution of a bis-sulfonyl chloride, containing not less than two carbon atoms in a chain separating the sulfonyl chloride groups, in a waterirnmisci'ole organic solvent, said solutions being free from other polymerizable materials, continuing the agitation while adding an alkaline neutralizing agent to the emulsion to neutralize the diamine acid salt and release the free diamine, and separating a polysulfonamide from the liquid phase.

7. Process for the production of polysulfonamides, which comprises agitating an aqueous solution of an acid salt of a diamine, containing free amino hydrogen on each of the amino nitro= gens and having not less than two carbon atoms in a chain separating the amino nitrogens, with a solution of a bis-sulfonyl chloride, containing not less than two carbon atoms in a chain separating the sulfonyl chloride groups, in a waterimmiscible organic solvent, said solutions being free from other polymerizable materials, in the presence of an emulsifying agent whereby the mixture is emulsified, continuing the agitation while addin an alkaline neutralizing agent to the emulsion to neutralize the diamine acid salt and release the free diamine, and separating a polysulfonamide from the liquid phase.

8. Process for the production of poly-N,N'- tetramethylene 1,5 pentane bis sulfon amide, which comprises agitating an aqueous solution of an acid salt of tetramethylene diamine and a solution of pentamethylene-bissulfonyl chloride in a water-immiscible organic solvent, said solutions being free from other polymerizable materials, adding an alkaline neutralizing agent to the mixture of said solutions during the agitation thereof to neutralize the tetramethylene diamine and to release the free diamine and separating the polysulfonamide polymer therefrom.

WILFORD DONALD JONES. SAMUEL B. MCFARLANE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,040,626 Nicodemus et al. May 12, 1936 2,201,884 Carothers May 21, 1940 2,225,266 Frey et a1 Dec. 17, 1940 2,269,997 Berchet Jan. 13, 1942 2,3 1,890 Berchet June 15, 1943 2,321,891 Berchet June 15, 1943 2,338,830 Werntz Jan. 11, 1944 2,505,910 Proell et al Mar. 2, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 69,210 Norway Apr. 30, 1945 865,455 France May 24, 1941 892,351 France Apr. 5, 1944 895,395 France Apr. 3, 1944 903,983 France Oct. 23, 1945 OTHER REFERENCES Websters New International Dictionary, 2nd ed.; Merriam Co., 1939, p. 29, item acid salt, definition (b). 

6. PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF POLYSULFONAMIDES, WHICH COMPRISES AGITATING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF AN ACID SALT OF A DIAMINE, CONTAINING FREE AMINO HYDROGEN ON EACH OF THE AMINO NITROGENS AND HAVING NOT LESS THAN TWO CARBON ATOMS IN A CHAIN SEPARATING THE AMINO NITROGENS, WITH A SOLUTION OF A BIS-SULFONYL CHLORIDE, CONTAINING NOT LESS THAN TWO CARBON ATOMS IN A CHAIN SEPARATING THE SULFONYL CHLORIDE GROUPS, IS A WATERIMMISCIBLE ORGANIC SOLVENT, SAID SOLUTIONS BEING FREE FROM OTHER POLYMERIZABLE MATERIALS, CONTINUING THE AGITATION WHILE ADDING AN ALKALINE NEUTRALIZING AGENT TO THE EMULSION TO NEUTRALIZE THE DIAMINE ACID SALT AND RELEASE THE FREE DIAMINE, AND SEPARATING A POLYSULFONAMIDE FROM THE LIQUID PHASE. 